Whether you’re a health buff or not, you’ve probably made New Year’s resolutions to improve your health. But how many of us actually stick to our resolutions? What are some common reasons that people fail to stick to their resolutions? What can you do to make your resolution more sustainable? And of course, some tips to make sure that you’ll stick to your resolutions!
Healthy New Year’s resolutions
While the intention of making a healthy New Year’s resolution is laudable, many people don’t actually succeed. For instance, those who plan to quit smoking or drinking alcohol may not start making their efforts until after the made-up resolution date. That’s because it’s far more difficult to quit smoking and drinking than it is to change habits, which can be hard to do once we’re accustomed to them.
In a study conducted by Stockholm University, nearly half of Americans said they planned to lose weight or get into shape in 2018. While quitting smoking, once the top New Year’s resolution, only 16% of participants had made it to quit the habit. Another study of participants found that 70% of respondents made resolutions to improve their physical health. Self-improvement and weight loss were the second and third most common resolutions.
Common reasons people fail to stick to them
According to a recent survey, the top health resolutions made in 2014 were to lose weight, quit smoking, get fit, and manage stress. Compared to 1998, eating more fruits and vegetables and cutting down on unhealthy fats was the most popular resolution. Of all participants, 31% plan to make resolutions for 2021 and 19% are undecided. In addition, more than half of respondents say that they want to improve their health in the next five years.
Many people fail to follow their health resolutions. While they are good intentions, they often fall flat by mid-February. Experts say this may have something to do with our mentality, which contributes to the failure rate of most New Year’s resolutions. By mid-February, 80 percent of people fail to stick to their health resolutions. And the majority of those people who make a health resolution fail to follow it after two years.
Ways to make them more sustainable
The easiest way to make your health resolutions more sustainable is to invest in a healthier lifestyle. While it’s tempting to make sweeping changes, these changes must fit into your daily life. Investing in an exercise machine or a gym membership doesn’t guarantee that you’ll use it. Instead, focus on making one or two small changes that will become second nature over time. This will also be more sustainable than making major changes all at once.
Consider investing in reusable shopping bags. Instead of using plastic bags, use reusable grocery bags. And forget about purchasing bottled water. Disposable plastic bottles use up 17 million barrels of oil every year. Plus, making one water bottle requires 3 liters of water. If you’re not interested in donating to a nonprofit, look for alternatives. Then, look for reusable grocery bags and water bottles.
Tips for sticking to them
The top priority of your New Year’s health resolutions should be maintaining motivation. In addition to making healthier food choices, you should also cut down on unhealthy activities. Even if you make a few mistakes, give yourself credit for trying! Your next meal, workout class, or meditation session is a fresh start. Your health resolution should be your #1 priority this year, but you can still have fun and succeed if you follow these tips.
Make sure that your new healthy habits become habits. Making a commitment to lose weight and get in shape should be a habit. Even if you miss one step, don’t give up. Try again, and be more consistent. The key is to set reasonable goals. Changing habits takes time. Don’t overwhelm yourself with too many resolutions. Start small, and build up momentum. Don’t let fear get the better of you and quit trying.
